Municipal Directory

Q: I don't have an internet connection. How can I access the Directory, or submit information to be added to the Directory?
Q: What does an error message saying “username or password is invalid” mean?
Q: What does an error message saying that my STORED “username or password is invalid” mean?
Q: Where can I find the addresses and phone numbers for the government offices and other agencies that were listed in the printed Directory?
Q: How do I find an organized hamlet or northern settlement?
Q: My screen shows repeat entries after I entered and saved new data. What happened?
Q: Will new printed copies of the Municipal Directory be published?
Q: How do I print out the Municipal Directory?
Q: What base years are used for the population and assessment figures in the on-line Municipal Directory?
Q: I cannot see my browser buttons when on the Municipal Directory pages. How do I print or refresh (or reload) the page?
Q: I cannot download, view or print PDF versions of the Municipal Directory?

Q: I don't have an internet connection. How can I access the Directory, or submit information to be added to the Directory?
A: You may go to any Public Library and use its internet services. There may be fees due. To change municipal contact information, the municipal administrator must have a username and password which have been mailed to all municipalities.

Q: What does an error message saying “username or password is invalid” mean?
A: You are either not authorized to enter the records maintenance area, or you have entered an incorrect or out-of-date username or password. Only municipal clerks or administrators are issued authorized usernames and passwords. For details, send an email message here or phone 306-787-4340.

Q: What does an error message saying that my STORED “username or password is invalid” mean?
A: Some MS Windows operating systems attempt to save or store all your usernames and passwords and then authenticate those stored entries when you again enter another username or password. You may fix the problem by updating your operating system at: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com, or by changing your Stored User Names and Passwords following Microsoft's instructions here.

If you use a password storage program like Gator, consult the help documentation for those products.

Q: Where can I find the addresses and phone numbers for the government offices and other agencies that were listed in the printed Directory?
A: All the boards, associations and agencies have internet websites that keep more current information than what used to be printed. You may also find some of the office addresses and phone numbers listed in the blue pages of local telephone directories.

Q: How do I find an organized hamlet or northern settlement?
A: Organized hamlets are administered by the rural municipality in which the hamlet is located. You may find contact information for the rural municipality responsible for the hamlet by typing the name of the organized hamlet in the search box on the welcome screen. To view a list of organized hamlets, click here, or use the Directory's search feature and look for organized and resort hamlets.

Northern settlements are administered by the Northern Municipal Services Branch.

Q: My screen shows repeat entries after I entered and saved new data. What happened?
A: The data may have been entered more than once because it didn't show up after you clicked the "save" button. After you click the save button, the new data is sent to the server and you are returned to the entrance screen. To see the new entries, you must again go back to the edit or maintenance screen. When you do, the new data may not be visible because your browser cache may not be updated or refreshed. Do not enter the new data again because doing so creates repeat entries. Instead, press "F5" to reload or refresh your screen after which you should see the new data if it was entered and saved correctly.

Q: Will new printed copies of the Municipal Directory be published?
A: No, internet versions of the Directory will be more current because municipalities update their records directly.

Q: How do I print out the Municipal Directory?
A: There are three ways to print out information:

1. To print one page, click the right hand side mouse button and then select "Print" from the pop up menu list, or press the "Ctrl" and "P" keys at the same time.

2. For a copy similar to previous printed versions of the Directory, first make sure your computer has Adobe Reader® which may be installed for free from the Adobe website. Then on the Municipal Directory welcome screen go to the area entitled "Download in PDF Format" and from the drop down list select the entire Directory or just a type of municipality. Then click the "Generate PDF" button. Depending on the selection and internet speeds, the process will take a few minutes to complete. Once done, a new screen opens allowing the copy to be printed or saved. Over slow internet connections, select and download the Directory one part at a time.

3. Customized lists can be printed using the Advanced Search feature. Users may select fields containing just the data they want. For example, a user can select just the fields containing town with certain populations and just the phone numbers of those towns. The selected fields can be previewed in a table. These tables can be copied and pasted into a spreadsheet or data base program and then printed out from that program.

Q: What base years are used for the population and assessment figures in the on-line Municipal Directory?
A: Population figures are based on the official results in the latest Statistics Canada Census. The assessment figures are based on confirmed taxable assessments supplied by the Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency. For the City of Lloydminster, only the Saskatchewan population is shown. The City of Lloydminster's assessment figure includes both the Alberta and Saskatchewan sides of the city.

Q: I cannot see my browser buttons when on the Municipal Directory pages. How do I print or refresh (or reload) the page?
A: Press Ctrl-P to send a page to your printer. Press F5 to refresh or reload the page from the server. Or, click your right hand mouse button and select either option from the drop down list.

Q: I cannot download, view or print PDF versions of the Municipal Directory?
A: The download and printing of a file from a website can be delayed or disrupted for many reasons. Use the following troubleshooting guidelines to eliminate the problem.

Adobe Version - Verify that your computer has Adobe Reader® version 6. To find a version number, open the program from the Task Bar - Programs list or from an desktop Icon, then click the open program's "Help" button and "About." buttons which opens a box in which you can see the version number. Adobe Reader® updates can be downloaded for free from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2. More help for Adobe problems can be found here: http://www.adobe.com/support/products/acrreader.shtmlstep2.shtml.

Browser Version - Use the newest version of Internet Explorer with all the latest patches and updates. Updates usually correct many problems. Windows updates can be obtained from http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. Netscape has several bugs which are not likely to be fixed in the near future.

Printer Gibberish - A PDF file may display properly on your computer screen, but printing it produces only gibberish. Updating your programs as explained above may solve the problem, or you may have a memory problem.

Memory Problems - Data from the Municipal Directory uses large amounts of computer and printer memory. On systems with smaller capacities, it is best to download the Directory in parts (see the Download in PDF Format drop down list). If you have successfully downloaded the data to your computer, use the Adobe print options to specify "page ranges" to print. This reduces the amount of data being sent to your printer. Printers usually have smaller memory capacities than computers. Repeat the "page range" process until you have all the pages you want printed.

Internet Connections - Most browsers have a progress bar that indicates how much of a file is downloaded (see box at bottom of Internet Explorer window). The bar stops moving or "freezes" if your internet connection is broken which can happen for many reasons. One possibility involves downloading a large file over a slow connection where the internet service provider has a download time limit. Another possibility is other activity on your computer or the computer network disrupting your download. Discuss server disconnections or "time outs" with your Internet Service Provider. Also try downloading smaller files as explained under Memory Problems.

For further assistance, contact Municipal Affairs by email here, or use the postal address or phone numbers listed below.

Postal address:
Ministry of Municipal Affairs
Strategy and Stakeholder Relations
410 1855 Victoria Avenue
Regina SK S4P 3T2

Telephone: (306) 787-4340
Fax: (306) 787-3641